The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), Clayton County, and the cities of College Park, East Point, and Hapeville have received a $50 million federal grant for a multi-use trail connecting the Atlanta BeltLine and the Flint River. The goal is to reconnect communities that have long been divided by the construction of major transportation projects, such as roads and railways.

The $50 million grant will be used to:

• Create a cohesive vision for a multi-use trail network on Atlanta’s southside that will connect existing trail projects with new trails across the region and along the Flint River.

• Build two segments of the trail – 1.6 miles in East Point and 1 mile in Clayton County – that are “shovel-ready.”

• Provide scoping, design, and engineering for an additional 13.2 miles of trail across the four communities.

• Facilitate ongoing community engagement.

“This is a tremendous win for the Atlanta region. And importantly, this is what success looks like when we take a regional approach to pursuing federal funding,” said Anna Roach, ARC Executive Director & CEO. “We greatly appreciate the steadfast advocacy and support shown by our congressional delegation. They understand the project’s potential to transform the region’s entire south side.”

Ultimately, the trail will run between the Atlanta BeltLine in southwest Atlanta and the City of Lovejoy in Clayton County, a distance of 31.5 miles.

The project builds upon decades of planning and investments in the communities around Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Twelve foundational, ARC-funded trail projects and plans, such as the Atlanta Regional Trail Vision, AeroATL Greenways Plan, East Point Multimodal Improvements and Tara Boulevard Pedestrian Safety Improvements serve as a catalyst to reconnect Atlanta’s southside communities.

The federal grant also serves as a key mechanism to fulfill the vision of Finding the Flint, a community-led effort to restore the Upper Flint River, address stormwater and flooding issues, and reconnect neighborhoods through trails and parks. The Flint River begins near the airport in East Point and flows for 344 miles to the Florida state line.

“It’s hard to overstate what this investment will mean for the area around the Atlanta airport and the entire south metro area,” said Mike Alexander, ARC Chief Operating Officer. “With the support of ARC, these communities have developed an ambitious vision for a more walkable, bikeable, and connected public realm that reconnects neighborhoods and provides residents greater access to transit, jobs, retail, and greenspace.”

The Atlanta BeltLine to Flint River trail project has been supported by community partners that include The Conservation Fund, Finding the Flint, American Rivers, Aerotropolis Atlanta Alliance, Atlanta BeltLine, the Georgia Department of Transportation, and MARTA.L